


Kiss It Better

by arrafrost



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Canonical Character Death, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-20 10:01:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20226007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arrafrost/pseuds/arrafrost
Summary: For the rest of the fight, Caleb’s eyes kept flicking back to the blood maledict scar. It didn’t take long to heal but Caleb couldn’t help but be drawn to it. After the battle, Mollymauk sauntered over and held up his arm, leaning into Caleb as he whispered, “Care to kiss it better, Mr. Caleb?”This is also my first time writing them or any Critical Role for that matter, so please be gentle.





	Kiss It Better

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for episode 26. From a prompt on tumblr: "Send me a Ship and a Number and I will Write a Kiss  
#20: on a scar"

Trying not to look at Mollymauk was a difficult challenge that Caleb had gotten worse at completing the more time they spent together. Molly was always someone that drew the eye, which had made Caleb wary of him in the beginning - it still does to a degree but he’s come to the conclusion that if people are looking at Mollymauk, they’ll hardly pay attention to him. But Caleb’s eyes have lingered longer these days and it took even less time for Mollymauk to notice. 

At first he would wink at Caleb and immediately Caleb would turn away, praying that his cheeks didn’t color with embarrassment at being caught. He didn’t say anything however, at least not until he found Caleb staring at him as he nicked his own skin with a blade for a blood maledict. Caleb stared the whole time, distracted from the battle, and for the rest of the fight, Caleb’s eyes kept flicking back to the scar. It didn’t take long to heal but Caleb couldn’t help but be drawn to it. After the battle, Mollymauk sauntered over and held up his arm, leaning into Caleb as he whispered, “Care to kiss it better, Mr. Caleb?”

Every cell in Caleb’s body froze. If someone had paralyzed him, he wouldn’t have known the difference. But he knew from the mischievous glint in Molly’s eyes that he was being played with. It took him a moment to compose himself and shake his head before walking away and vowing to not let his attention stray so badly. He could have sworn as he moved past Molly that his grin faltered and his shoulders slumped but Caleb assumed Mollymauk was disappointed that he didn’t get a rise out of the wizard. 

It took him far too long to realize that wasn’t Molly’s intention. Too long and too late. 

Caleb would sit awake during his watches and think about all the times Mollymauk flashed that playful grin and that teasing wink; and all the times that Caleb brushed him off, stepped aside and let Molly’s charm fizzle next to him. He’d been scared, he’d assumed the worst, and somehow keeping himself safe had left him the most broken up over Mollymauk. Even though Caleb knows he wouldn’t have been in any kind of position to pursue a romance with the tiefling, his mind wasn’t in a healthy place back then, he wished he had at least reciprocated or told Mollymauk that he appreciated the flirtatious gestures. But he could wish and wish, and he would never have a chance to right those wrongs.

This would have been true if the world wasn’t a little bit merciful some of the time. 

Returning to the Leaky Tap had been an unexpected coming home of sorts. They had finally returned to Zadash, to the Empire, and their first stop was the small tavern. Everything had reminded Caleb of Mollymauk, they had all spent a good deal of time together in this tavern, and Molly had been the life of the party. It wasn’t until Wessek came over to their table that their somber mood lightened ever so slightly. 

“And the rest shall follow, welcome back!”

The statement puzzled the Mighty Nein, all gathered around a table and ready for drinks only to be thrown by the familiar face. 

“What do you mean the rest shall follow?”

“Oh, the purple one came back a few days ago. I figured it would only be a matter of time before you all followed.”

Caleb was on his feet in a matter of seconds, demanding where and when and how. Wessek only had answers to two of those but the Mighty Nein quickly ascended the stairs to one of the bedrooms they had shared during their stay and banged on the door to be greeted by a familiar face, a sly grin, and an ostentatious coat. They celebrated for what seemed like a week to welcome back the lost member of their family. 

It wasn’t until several days later, when many of the Nein had passed out at the table or gone to bed early, that Caleb found himself alone with Mollymauk. Times had changed, he had changed significantly since the last time they spoke. It wasn’t a coincidence that Caleb had only been nursing his drinks for the past few nights and finally he worked up the courage to slip into the seat next to Molly and press closer to him.

“Mr. Caleb,” Molly greeted.

“Mr. Mollymauk,” Caleb said with a nod. “May I have your hand?”

Molly’s eyes twinkled with that telltale mischief. “Oh my Caleb! How very forward of you. You have changed! But I’m married to the drink, I must confess.”

Caleb chuckled, shaking his head but he kept his hand out in invitation regardless. It only took a few moments for Molly to set his drink down and place his hand in Caleb’s. It was a wonder that Molly couldn’t feel his heart beating through their joined hands, maybe he did, but Caleb kept a steady hand as he gently twisted Molly’s arm and moved him until he could find the right scar. It had faded in his near perfect memory, the passage of time had been longer than Caleb could bear, but he found the one that he was sure he’d been staring at that day and leaned in. “It’s much too late to kiss it better, but I feel I must.”

He held Molly’s gaze, the shock in the tiefling’s eyes making him move slowly, giving Mollymauk enough time to take his hand back or push Caleb away. He did neither. Molly bit his lip and stared directly at Caleb’s mouth as Caleb sealed his lips on the scar and kissed his skin. It was strange that Caleb couldn’t remember a single instance of Mollymauk blushing in their short history, but he knew that he would commit this moment to memory and never forget the flush on Molly’s cheek that he had caused. 

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on [tumblr](http://arrafrost.tumblr.com), I'm still on like episode 65 though so there isn't any new Critical Role content


End file.
